HIGHLY-RATED teenage keeper Gavin Bazunu is looking to impress during his season long loan spell with Rochdale.
The 18-year-old Manchester City youngster is itching for first team football and to use his time with the League One side to make progress on the pitch.
Capped several times by the Republic of Ireland at Under-21 level, the Dublin born stopper came through the youth ranks at Shamrock Rovers, becoming their youngest-ever debutant at 16 years and 109 days.
After impressing at the Tallaght Stadium, including playing in the Europa League qualifiers, he attracted interest from City and made the move to the Premier League side in February 2019.
Bazunu was selected as part of the City first-team squad for their pre-season tour in Asia last summer and this summer was again added to the squad for the conclusion of their 2019/20 Champions League campaign.
He also joined up with the Republic of Ireland U-21 squad earlier this month to take part in a four-day training camp.
Speaking to the club's official website he said: "This is the opportunity that I have been looking for, so I'm hoping that I can do well and impress.
"I really enjoyed the first team football that I got at Shamrock Rovers and I just can't wait to get back into it again. That's where you gain experience and, how, I believe, you improve at the fastest rate, so I just can't wait to get started."
Dale boss Brian Barry-Murphy added: "I've been very aware of Gavin since he first came on the scene back in Ireland as a 16-year-old. He blew us all away with his ability from that early age.
"There's huge gratitude to Manchester City for allowing us to have Gavin at our Club to continue his development, which is going to be so exciting for everybody to see."
He added: "If you were to look around League One previously, Manchester City don't tend to loan their players into that environment, so that's testament to the work that the staff and players have done here to make us so attractive for them."